1
Even After
Just keep walking, Taemin.
He told himself as he shuffled his way past the crowd of picketters. They were protesting against homouality, and even though he knew they would never say it, they were protesting against him.
He being the only gay one in the community, there was really no one else to take notice of the mobs painfully embarrasing chants and insults. Of course, at first he never took offense.
But now...now that he knows they are directing their destructive attacks on him...now that he knows whenever they speak poorly of a certain person, its almost always him...it took a toll on his sanity.
"Don't worry. They'll get over it one day." Everyone says. Taemin knows that they're lying, and he also knows that they felt the same way as the group. They were terrified of him.
Mothers wouldn't let him anywhere near their children.
He was fired from his job because of he allegedly assaulted a man.
His landlord kicked him out and now Taemin has to stay with a friend.
But, what can he do to change something he didn't feel was wrong? How was his uality harming them! Taemin made his way into a cafè and sat down in a corner booth by himself.
Or...at least he thought...
After a while of holding his head down, he looked up to find himself staring at the most beautiful man in the world. His fair hair cut short just over his perfectly accented eyes. His smile nearly brought Taemin to his knees...
But it certainly stopped him from realizing he was staring.
"I'm Kibum," the elder male began, "but you can call me Key." He smiled again, his perfectly white teeth shining through. Taemin's mind faltered, making it very hard for him to reply.
"I'm um...well...my name is...Taemin." he stuttered out. Key looked over at the smaller boy, "Are you alright? You look nervous."
He couldn't believe it. A perfectly normal-looking boy has approached him without even hinting to the fact that he knew about Taemin. That he knew Taemin was seen as troubled in the eyes of society.
"Just so you know, I'm aware that your gay." Key informed him, as if he could read Taemin's thoughts. The weird thing, however, was that the smile he had held from the start never seemed to leave.
Not even after he said the words Taemin dreaded most.
The young male hid his face in his hood, expecting the elder to leave.
But he stayed.
And he was still there 5 minutes later.
Taemin looked up, confused, "If you know that I'm gay, why are yoy still here? Usually people call me some kind of stupid name and leave."
"Did I ever say I cared?" Key raised an eyebrow in faux-confusing. Then, he raised his hand to attract a server.
The girl took one look at Taemin, made an inaudible scoff, and turned to Key, "What can I get for you, sir?"
Key picked up the menu and searched for a couple of minutes before sighing, "Ill just take the bacon burger special. With water."
"And the male opposite of you?" Her "perky" attitude still strong.
Key crinkled his eyebrows, "I don't know. Ask him." The server's smile immediately dropped because she knew all about the boy. Her mother had warned her about him. She said never to communicate with him, even if her lifr depended on it.
Now, she was in trouble.
Her voice wavered, "Its just that...he doesn't look all that well to talk so..."
"No. We just had a great conversation before you arrived, I'm sure he's fine." Key countered. The servers defense was rapidly staggering.
Then, out of nowhere, a small voice emerged, "Its okay. I'm not all that hungry."
Key slapped the table, making sure to create a huge show, "Yes you are, God dammit. And this lady is going to look you in the eye, ask you what you want, and stop treating you like you have some sort of disease!" He was pratically yelling now. People peeked from even the kitchen to take a look at the drama.
"I said I'm not hungry!" Taemin's sudden rise in volume surprised the both of them. Key sat back down in his seat and grumbled, "He'll have what I'm having."
The servers smile returned and she raised one finger, meaning the food would be there shortly.
The older in the pair crossed his arms, "You know, I've been watching you fot quite some time now, and I've noticed something. The only reason they treat you like crap is because you don't speak for yourself."
This was true. Taemin has never been an assertive person. In fact, he's beyond passive. He's pratically a doormat.
A doormat for people to stomp on, rub their shoes, rip holes in, and not even give a second thought to before they toss it away.
Taemin shrugged in reply, not wanting an argument after Key's episode. He set his head down on the table.
"Listen, Taemin. I am going to promise you something. After 2 years time, I promise that this hell of yours will disappear. Even if I have to give my life."
Taemin leaned back and ran his hands through his hair. How many times has he heard that one before?
"Taemin! Taeminnie!" An excited voice cut through the early morning silence the next day. The tired male turned to see an over-dressed Key sprinting towards him.
"What are you doing here?"
Key bent over, half dead from his run, "What am I doing here? The question is, what are you doing here? The house is way too small for one person, much less two!"
Taemin paused near the dumpsters, "How did you know I lived with someone?"
"Didn't I tell you already? I've been watching for a while now." Key smiled, but Taemin looked terrified. He was starting to get strange vibes from this man.
"Not like that, ." Taemin's expression softened, but the feeling remained. Key wasn't normal, and he knew this for a fact.
But he shrugged it off and started to make his was up the apartment stairs.
"Wait!" Someone shouted behind him. Key was waving his arms like a plane trafficman. "You should come stay with me for a while."
Taemin refused his hyung's request, having only known him for a day and a half.
"Oh come on, why stay with the same woman who used to belong to the church that vandalized your old house with homophobic remarks?!" Taemin glanced over his shoulder at Key, who was steady on his trail up the stairs.
The young boy sped towards his door and twisted the knob. How could Key possibly have known? He wasn't a part of the church, nor did he live in his old complex. In fact, nobody knew about it but Taemin, the church, and the police.
He pushed the door open, "Yeah well...she said she was sorry and that she wanted to make it up to me by letting me stay here." He slammed the door shut.
But through the door, he heard Key yell, "Not for long!"
His hyung was right. As soon as he opened the door the the bedroom he used, he found a suitcase with his stuff inside and empty shelves where his stuff resided. Hana, his roommate, shoved the handle in his hands and started pushing him out, when they reached the door, he turned and asked why, and she gave some lame excuse about not paying rent on time before slamming the door.
And guy who was there to catch it all with a knowing grin on his face.
"Come on!"
~
When they reached Key's house, it was near noon. The hot sun beat down on the exposed skin of Taemin, causing it to burn. He felt like he was truly burning in hell as he trudged along, case in tow.
Key, however, was covered in several hot, yet fashionable layers. He skipped and hummed and acted as if it was the middle of winter. If he was even a little uncomfortable, he sure as hell didn't show it.
He ran into the wide gates and turned to Taemin, "One sec." He said before ascending up the staircase to his front door, which he slammed shut. A loud crash sounded and several loud groans that sounded like furniture moving.
After about 10 minutes, Key opened his door and bounded down the steps, gesturing for Taemin to go on up ahead. As they approached the house, Key blabbed on and on about how much fun they were going to have now that they were room-mates. He lead Taemin through the gianormous family room and down the wide hallways into his guest bedroom.
Key's house was a tad bit short of a hotel...which made Taemin feel all the more uncomfortable. He began worrying about Key's true motives in housing him. Was he really doing this because he wanted to be friends, or was he doing this because he wanted to find the right time to humiliate him?
Once again, as if he read the younger males thoughts, Key sighed, "No one's going to hurt you here, Taemin. I promise.
How is this for a start?! Thanks for reading! I'll update as soon as chapter 2 is done!
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